June 7, Le Corbusier

Today we enjoyed a morning discussion, placing all of the performance works attended thus far in the context of our Modernism notes. How do characteristics of each work relate to qualities discussed in the first class lecture? How do we begin to see and talk across the art forms?

In the afternoon we met Serge Clavé, architect and professor, for a site visit to Villa La Roche & Corbusier’s atelier and home. Placing Corbusier’s experimentation with light and space next to Einstein’s explorations between space and time brings two great minds into sharp focus. Corbusier’s design incorporates the outside and the inside of a building into a unified organization. Space, volumes, and forms mirror the discoveries in the Cubist paintings.


Monumenta 2008 at the Grand Palais included a solo piano recital by Serra's friend, Phillip Glass. This was an additional event that students elected to attend.

June 8, Free Day

Students took advantage of their unscheduled day and went to the gardens of Versailles, the markets on Rue Moufftrad and the Vivaldi concert at San Chapelle.

June 9, Musée Picasso, Hôtel de Ville, and Theatre Essaïon

For Picasso, the canvas is a diary. Professor Martine Mooncece led us through a fascinating exploration of the artist's life and work at the Picasso Museum. Martine introduced the concept of work-as-diary, and taught us how to "read" Picasso's canvases, sculptures, and assemblages. By the end of our tour, members of our group had learned to decipher through Picasso's use of color and form his feelings towards his subjects, and the cultures that influenced particular renderings. We even became practiced enough readers to discern which of his lovers were depicted in his canvases! Martine's tour brought the artist's work to life in all of its passion and complexity.














In the afternoon, we headed to Hôtel de Ville, Paris' City Hall, for a tour of its opulent reception rooms whose architecture and furnishings reflect the regal style of the late nineteenth century. The high ceilings, neo-classical paintings, and ornate furnishings provided a striking counterpoint to Picasso's iconoclastic sensibility. Christiane Dijeaux, our guide, provided an overview of Paris' political history from the eighteenth century through current day, which helped us contextualize the Modernist period that we've been immersed in.

Our survey of Parisian art and culture wouldn't be complete without an evening at the Cabaret, and in the evening, we enjoyed a performance by French chanteuse Claire Guyot at the Theatre Essaïon, a former wine cellar converted into a cabaret and theatre with an artistic, bohemian flair.

June 10, Giverny

Giverny, Monet’s Home & Garden, beckons, but first the partial Greve. Strikes (greves) are not unusual in Paris; fortunately this is only a partial strike. We arrive at Gare St. Lazare for the 8:15 train, but learn that this train isn’t running because of the greve. Fortunately, the 9:15 train will stop at Vernon. More time for café et croissants! Bicycles from Vernon to Giverny reveal the countryside and small family gardens, setting the stage for the larger and more popular Giverny.

Individuals wander through the home and garden, completing the assignment of rendering Giverny in photos. A beautifully sunny, warm day gives us the perfect framework to view the ponds and plantings.

June 11, Musée de l'Orangerie

An unusual stroke of luck- the workers strike yielded an unrivaled viewing experience. Today we traveled to the Musée de l'Orangerie. This museum is most famous for the entry rooms, which house enormous Monet paintings displayed in the round. Because of the workers strike only group reservations were allowed into the museum. We entered the museum as the first and only visitors.

We entered to find breathtaking paintings and total stillness in the space. The circular room and circular paintings allow one to be completely enveloped by these 15- 20 ft canvases. The museum recently reopened after years of renovation and the new display system allows filtered light to fall onto and illuminate the canvases. Light is an integral part of Monet’s work, and is an equally important part of displaying his work. If you let yourself stand in front of the work, you can see how the shifting light highlights and changes the paintings’ palettes in subtle but beautiful ways.
In the evening we attended the opening night of the Ircam music festival. At the Theatre du Chatelet we listened to a piece entitled “Fado”; a combination of modern Fado music interwoven with a medieval Portuguese poem.

June 12, Fabrice Guedy's atelier

What might Picasso, Man Ray, or Stravinsky done with the creative possibilities opened up by Mac Power Books and cutting-edge computer programs? Our visit to Fabrice Guedy's electronic music atelier introduced our group to the exciting frontiers that modern composers are exploring through computer technology. Fabrice's music studio is a sound laboratory in which young musicians utilize technology in their synthesis of music, visual arts, poetry, modern dance, and science. Currently, Fabrice and the artists working in the atelier are experimenting with motion sensors that use body movement to manipulate the pitch and tempo of music scores, creating a unique synthesis of movement and sound. After showing footage of musicians and dancers employing the technology, Fabrice invited students to experiment with the sensors for themselves. Volunteers had sensors attached to their arms, and experimented manipulating a piece by Debussy using movement and gesture. The students were able to enter into the soundscape with a bit of practice, producing their own interpretative creations, we were all reminded that in modern art, works that appear effortless often involve a remarkable amount of ingenuity and technique!

June 13, The Seine

Shakespeare and Company Bookstore, opened by George Whitman in 1951, continues the legacy of Sylvia Beach’s early 20th century Paris bookstore, inviting writers to visit. The bookstore hosts a yearly festival of writers; we took the opportunity to hear Alistair Horne, author of The Seven Ages of Paris speak.















A boat ride on the Seine that night pulled the wonders of the city,
bathed in evocative lighting,
into a continuous photo opportunity. Our departure site, the Eiffel Tower, was blinking as we took off on our journey.